Silent Riot | Regulus Black

SIX

Gemma was bored. It had been raining heavily all day, confining her to the walls of the castle. She'd started the day in the library, but her inability to focus drove her out. Now she'd settled on staring out the window and watching the rain pour, while Luke drew something.

'How long are you just going to stare outside?' Luke asked her. 'I mean, its serving me quite well.'

'What do you mean?' She said. He showed her the drawing he was working on- it was a portrait of her. 'That's so pretty!'

'Thanks,' he said, shrugging.

'What else have you drawn?' She asked casually, picking up the sketchbook.

'Nothing,' he said hastily, reaching out to grab it. But Gemma held it out of his reach, smiling slightly.

'I don't think so,' she said in a teasing voice. She opened it, and flipped a few of the pages. There were landscape drawings and bird drawings, nothing too interesting... until she came across a sketch of Pandora Lestrange. Luke had gotten everything right; her hair, her dimples and her eyes. It had obviously taken him a very long time.

'Wow,' Gemma breathed. She smirked at him. 'Do you have something to tell me, Luke?'

'No,' he said, snatching it back. But Gemma continued to smirk.

'You two have been getting quite comfortable lately,' she said, as Iz walked in.

'I haven't! We haven't,' he defended.

'Oohh what's this?' Iz said nosily.

'Luke is telling me about him and Pandora,' Gemma explained. Iz looked confused.

'Luke and Pandora? But Luke-'

'Is not in the mood for this conversation,' he cut in quickly, sending Iz a firm look. 'Good day,' he said to Gemma, before leaving the common room.

'Where do you think he's going?' Iz asked. Gemma shrugged, still slightly confused.

'Um.. library, probably.' Gemma's eyes widened as she glanced at the window. 'It stopped raining!' She gasped. She grabbed her coat and hat and ran out of the room, Iz running after her.

'Gemma wait... my hair is going everywhere!' Iz exclaimed, but Gemma didn't care. When they got to the entrance, she noticed Mulciber and Avery talking to Regulus, who wore a desperate get me out of here expression. Gemma slowed her pace and walked toward them warily. Mulciber noticed her first.

'Why hello there,' he said. 'Come to hand in your quidditch resignation?'

'What?' Regulus said, turning around in alarm. 'Why?'

'I'm not,' Gemma said, forcing a false smile onto her face.

'Then what do you want,' Avery drawled. 'We haven't got all day.'

'I want to rescue my friend,' she said. 'So I'll just take him off your hands and be on my way.' She turned to Mulciber. 'If you don't mind.'

'Not at all,' he said, still- for some reason- smirking. Gemma left them, not checking to see if Regulus had followed her until they were out of the castle.

'I don't understand you,' she said, putting on her hat.

'What do you mean?' He asked, confused.

'If you don't like them, why talk to them?' She said.

'Especially that loser Avery,' Iz added helpfully. Regulus' expression was unreadable as he considered the question.

'It's... difficult to understand,' he said carefully. 'It's just... helpful, I suppose, to have allies. Could be useful. In the future.'